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(January 12, 2007)
I have always liked the name Romeo's for an Italian
restaurant. My second choice would be Anthony's or maybe Vittorio's
but Romeo's just works for me. Luckily, for those of us in Austin and
Georgetown, the quality of the food at Romeo's does not belie the name.
It's Italian-American comfort food at its best.
The Romeo's on Barton Springs Dr. has a delightfully
romantic atmosphere and a low-key friendly kind of vibe. This is very
much and Austin kind of restaurant.
The appetizers don't stray too far from the traditional
Italian favorites and that's fine with me. The Bruschetta has a tasty
roma tomato and artichoke heart relish spread over toasted baguettes.
The roasted garlic is a nice touch as well. And the Grilled Polenta
a common Italian cornmeal dish not dissimilar to the grits one sees
on southern US menus, is topped with sautéed spinach and Fontina
cheese. This is a very cool way to do polenta. I also like the Antipasto
Salad. It's almost impossible for me to begin an Italian meal without
a good antipasto. And this one, with rolled salami, prusciutto, provolone
and mozzarella cheeses and Kalamata olives and Pepperocini peppers is
the perfect way to fire up an appetite.
The pasta dishes, for me, are the heart and soul
of an Italian restaurant. And Romeo's has a pleasing assortment of choices.
My favorite is the Arrabbiatta. (Think Dan Quayle could have spelled
that one?) This preparation uses fettuccini (although I prefer penne)
tossed in a seriously tasty white wine cream sauce with cracked pepper,
tomatoes, prosciutto and mushrooms. I love the flavors of this dish.
Another recommendation would be the Angel Hair Pomodori. There is a
lovely pomodori sauce that goes with this dish topped with pignoli or
pine nuts which give it a characteristic kick. The spinach, mushrooms
and tomatoes finish the dish. Very mellow and very tasty. And the Manicotti
(my aunt back in New Haven, CT, used to pronounce it Man-ee-goat) brings
back serious taste memories for me. They key to this dish is the blend
of the mozzarella, parmesan, ricotta, and romano cheeses mixed with
walnuts and wrapped in fresh spinach pasta. This is seriously good stuff.
There are other requisite offerings that complete
the homage to Italian comfort foods. High on any list, mine included,
would be the Eggplant Parmesan. The slicing and breading of the eggplant
is vital here. Then it's baked in rich roasted tomato sauce. The succulent
egg plant is then served over pasta with parmesan and mozzarella cheeses.
Mangia! Another must offering is the simple yet elegant Shrimp Scampi.
And Romeo's nails it. The absolute critical element here is the sauce
with butter, garlic and lemon. The balance must be perfect. Toss with
the fresh shrimp over linguini and you have yourself a meal.
Romeo's is at 1500 Barton Springs Rd. with a new
location on the square in downtown Georgetown. I think the Montagues
and Capulets would have liked this place. Why they could have even gotten
together for some Anisette afterwards. Or not. But if you're smart,
you'll get together with your dining partners here on a regular basis.
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